LEIPSIC, Ohio — G2 Genetics seed variety 5H-0504 took first place in an early-season corn test on Lee Newcomer’s farm in Putnam County, Ohio. Its yield was 180.1 bushels to the acre, with a gross income of $1,403 per acre. Moisture content was 23.5 percent.

The test was conducted by Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.), and this site’s test manager was Rich Schleuning.

Second place went to Rupp variety xrJ07-20, with a yield of 177.2 bushels per acre and a gross income of $1,378. Moisture content was 23.9 percent. It was followed closely by another Rupp variety, xrD07-19, yielding 175.7 bushels per acre with a gross income of $1,367 per acre and moisture content of 23.8 percent.

Schleuning planted the corn on April 20 at a rate of 32,500 seeds an acre. He harvested 29,200 plants to the acre on Oct. 22.

“One extreme to another, with a rough wet season/harvest last year, then a drought this year,” Schleuning said. “Spring conditions led to an uneven stand, but that may have been helpful in a drought.

“Some stalks aborted ears, while other hybrids with flex ears compensated. Plant health was good for the season.”

Data from the full-season test were rejected because of highly variable yields, Schleuning said.

“The variable in the yield data was off somewhat, and I think it was because of the drought,” Newcomer added. “When you have three hybrids side by side and one is way off for some reason, such as a sand ridge or a pocket, it’s not a fair test for all of the hybrids that are concerned.

“(F.I.R.S.T.) still publish the yield (in the test results), but that information is not included in the final summary.”

Ohio ground tends to be rolling, so soils can be more variable, Newcomer said. Each variety on a test plot is tested three times. The averages of each of those plots are then compared. If there is a big fluctuation, the data are rejected in fairness to the other hybrids.

“Since this is a third-party trial we want to make sure that everything is apples to apples,” he explained.

To read about more corn tests across several states, visit www.firstseed tests.com